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Candidates spar over “dumping ground” comments

DANBURY - A GOP statehouse challenger is circulating a web video accusing a longtime Democratic incumbent of denigrating the downtown as a “dumping ground” for poor people and ethnic minorities.

But Democratic state Rep. Bob Godfrey said the words cited in the video by GOP challenger Emanuela Palmares show that he objects to urban residents getting less attention than wealthier suburbanites.

“My whole career has been to take care of my home town,” said Godfrey, the 13-term representative of Danbury’s urban 110th District. “I got into politics to make sure the hungry get fed and homeless people find a home and people without health care get it.”

Palmares’ video begins with audio of Godfrey saying during a mid-October debate, “We need to take care of our cities and stop using them as dumping grounds for poor people and ethnic minorities.”